List of threatened sharks

Photo of shark in profile surrounded by other, much smaller fish
The whale shark, the world's largest fish, is classified as Endangered.

Binding legislation and harvest management strategies... are urgently needed to address the disproportionate impact of fisheries on cartilaginous fishes.

IUCN global study 2010

Threatened sharks are those vulnerable to endangerment (extinction) in the near future. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is the world's oldest global environmental organization. It evaluates threatened species, and treats threatened species not as a single category, but as a group of three categories, depending on the degree to which they are threatened:

VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable species
EN IUCN 3 1.svg Endangered species
CR IUCN 3 1.svg Critically endangered species

The term threatened strictly refers to these three categories (critically endangered, endangered and vulnerable), while vulnerable is used to refer to the least at risk of these categories. The terms can be used somewhat interchangeably, as all vulnerable species are threatened, all endangered species are vulnerable and threatened, and all critically endangered species are endangered, vulnerable and threatened. Threatened species are also referred to as a red-listed species, as they are listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

In a milestone decision in 2013, CITES prohibited international trade in the fins of the scalloped hammerhead (pictured) and four other shark species.

Shark species are increasingly becoming threatened because of commercial and recreational fishing pressures, the impact of non-shark fisheries on the seabed and shark prey species, and other habitat alterations such as damage and loss from coastal development and marine pollution. Rising demands for shark products has increased pressure on shark fisheries, but little monitoring or management occurs of most fisheries. Major declines in shark stocks have been recorded over the past few decades; some species had declined over 90% and population declines of 70% were not unusual by 1998. In particular, harvesting young sharks before they reproduce severely impacts future populations. Sharks generally reach sexual maturity only after many years and produce few offspring in comparison to other fish species.

Conservationists estimate that up to 100 million sharks are killed by commercial and recreational fishing every year. Sharks are often killed for shark fin soup, which some Asian countries regard as a status symbol. Fishermen capture live sharks, fin them, and dump the finless animal back into the water to die from suffocation or predators. Sharks are also killed for their flesh in Europe and elsewhere. The 2007 film Sharkwater documents ways in which sharks are being hunted to extinction. In 2009, the IUCN Shark Specialist Group reported on the conservation status of pelagic (open water) sharks and rays. They found that over half the pelagic sharks targeted by high-seas fisheries were threatened with extinction.

In 2010, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) rejected proposals from the United States and Palau that would have required countries to strictly regulate trade in several species of hammerhead, oceanic whitetip and dogfish sharks. The majority, but not the required two-thirds of voting delegates, approved the proposal. China, by far the world's largest shark consumer, and Japan, which battles all attempts to extend the convention's protections to marine species, led the opposition.

In 2013, CITES member nations overcame the continued opposition led by China and Japan, and reversed course. In what CITES has called a "milestone", the oceanic whitetip, porbeagle, and three species of hammerheads will now join the great white, basking and whale shark on CITES Appendix II, effective September 2014. International trade of these species is thus prohibited without CITES permits, "... and evidence will have to be provided that they are harvested sustainably and legally."

In 2014 the state government of Western Australia led by Premier Colin Barnett implemented a policy of killing large sharks. The policy is intended to protect users of the marine environment from shark attack following the deaths of seven people on the Western Australian coastline in the years 2010 to 2013. Baited drum lines are deployed near popular beaches using hooks designed to catch the vulnerable great white shark, as well as bull and tiger sharks. Large sharks found hooked but still alive are shot and their bodies discarded at sea. The government claims they are not culling sharks, but are using a "targeted, localised, hazard mitigation strategy". Barnett has described opposition to killing the sharks as "ludicrous" and "extreme", and said that nothing can change his mind.

According to a 2021 study published in the journal Nature, relative fishing pressure in the oceans has increased by a factor of 18 since 1970. This overfishing has resulted in the number of oceanic sharks and rays declining globally by 71%, and has increased the global extinction risk to the point where three-quarters of these species are now threatened with extinction. Precautionary science-based catch limits and strict prohibitions are now needed urgently if population collapse is to be avoided, if the disruption of ecological functions is to be averted, and if a start is to be made on rebuilding global fisheries.

Order Image Scientific name Common name Population trend IUCN status Fish
Base
FAO CITES
Appendix
Mackerel
shark
Alopias pelagicus.jpg Alopias pelagicus Pelagic thresher decreasing VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Mackerel
shark
Alopias superciliosus.jpg Alopias superciliosus Bigeye thresher shark decreasing VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Mackerel
shark
Thresher shark.jpg Alopias vulpinus Common thresher decreasing VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Groundshark Atelomycterus baliensis Bali catshark unknown VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Groundshark Aulohalaelurus kanakorum New Caledonia catshark unknown VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Carpet shark Heteroscyllium colcloughi csiro-nfc.jpg Brachaelurus colcloughi Bluegrey carpetshark unknown VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Groundshark Carcharhinus borneensis Borneo shark unknown EN IUCN 3 1.svg Endangered
Groundshark Carcharhinus hemiodon nmfs 2.png Carcharhinus hemiodon Pondicherry shark unknown CR IUCN 3 1.svg Critically endangered
Groundshark Carcharhinus leiodon nmfs 2.png Carcharhinus leiodon Smoothtooth blacktip shark unknown VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Groundshark Carcharhinus longimanus 1.jpg Carcharhinus longimanus Oceanic whitetip shark decreasing CR IUCN 3 1.svg Critically endangered II (eff. Sep-2014)
Groundshark Carcharhinus obscurus at Seaworld.jpg Carcharhinus obscurus Dusky shark decreasing VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Groundshark Carcharhinus plumb.JPG Carcharhinus plumbeus Sandbar shark decreasing VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Groundshark Carcharhinus signatus nmfs.jpg Carcharhinus signatus Night shark unknown VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Mackerel
shark
Carcharias taurus in UShaka Sea World 1079-a.jpg Carcharias taurus Sand tiger decreasing CR IUCN 3 1.svg Critically endangered
Mackerel
shark
White shark.jpg Carcharodon carcharias Great white shark unknown VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable II
Dogfish Centrophorus granulosus.jpg Centrophorus granulosus Gulper shark decreasing VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Dogfish Centrophorus harrissoni.jpg Centrophorus harrissoni Dumb gulper shark decreasing EN IUCN 3 1.svg Endangered
Dogfish Centrophorus lusitanicus Lowfin gulper shark unknown VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Dogfish Centrophorus squamosus1.jpg Centrophorus squamosus Deepwater spiny dogfish decreasing VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Mackerel
shark
Cetorhinus maximus by greg skomal.JPG Cetorhinus maximus Basking shark decreasing VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable II
Groundshark Chaenogaleus macrostoma Day - cropped.png Chaenogaleus macrostoma Hooktooth shark unknown VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Groundshark Galeorhinus galeus1.jpg Galeorhinus galeus School shark decreasing VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Groundshark Galeus mincaronei Southern sawtail catshark decreasing VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Groundshark Carcharias gangeticus by muller and henle.png Glyphis gangeticus Ganges shark decreasing CR IUCN 3 1.svg Critically endangered
Groundshark Glyphis garricki csiro-nfc.jpg Glyphis garricki New Guinea river shark decreasing CR IUCN 3 1.svg Critically endangered
Groundshark Speartooth shark melbourne.jpg Glyphis glyphis Speartooth shark decreasing EN IUCN 3 1.svg Endangered
Groundshark Glyphis siamensis Irrawaddy river shark unknown CR IUCN 3 1.svg Critically endangered
Groundshark
Brown shyshark DEK5155.jpg
Haploblepharus fuscus Brown shyshark unknown VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Groundshark Haploblepharus kistnasamyi Natal shyshark unknown CR IUCN 3 1.svg Critically endangered
Groundshark Hemigaleus microstoma ranong 3.jpg Hemigaleus microstoma Sickle fin weasel shark decreasing VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Groundshark Hemipristis elongata csiro-nfc.jpg Hemipristis elongata Snaggletooth shark decreasing VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Carpet shark Hemiscyllium hallstromi Papuan epaulette shark unknown VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Carpet shark Hemiscyllium strahani Hooded carpet shark unknown VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Groundshark Hemitriakis leucoperiptera Whitefin topeshark unknown EN IUCN 3 1.svg Endangered
Groundshark Holohalaelurus favus Honeycomb Izak decreasing EN IUCN 3 1.svg Endangered
Groundshark Holohalaelurus punctatus Whitespotted Izak decreasing EN IUCN 3 1.svg Endangered
Groundshark Carcharias oxyrhynchus by muller and henle.png Isogomphodon oxyrhynchus Daggernose shark decreasing CR IUCN 3 1.svg Critically endangered
Mackerel
shark
Isurus oxyrinchus by mark conlin2.JPG Isurus oxyrinchus Shortfin mako decreasing VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Mackerel
shark
Long fin mako shark.svg Isurus paucus Longfin mako decreasing VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Groundshark Carcharias temminckii by muller and henle.png Lamiopsis temminckii Broadfin shark decreasing EN IUCN 3 1.svg Endangered
Mackerel
shark
Lamna nasus.jpg Lamna nasus Porbeagle decreasing VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable III
(II eff. Sept. 2014)
Groundshark Mustelus fasciatus Striped smooth-hound decreasing CR IUCN 3 1.svg Critically endangered
Groundshark Mustelus mustelus1.jpg Mustelus mustelus Common smoothhound decreasing VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Groundshark Mustelus schmitti Narrownose smoothhound decreasing EN IUCN 3 1.svg Endangered
Groundshark Mustelus whitneyi Humpback smoothhound decreasing VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Carpet shark Nebrius ferrugineus Day.jpg Nebrius ferrugineus Tawny nurse shark decreasing VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Groundshark Negaprion acutidens sydney2.jpg Negaprion acutidens Sharptooth lemon shark decreasing VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Mackerel
shark
Odontaspis ferox (Smalltooth sand tiger).gif Odontaspis ferox Small-tooth sand tiger shark decreasing VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Dogfish Oxynotus centrina Gervais.jpg Oxynotus centrina Angular rough shark unknown VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Carpet shark Pseudoginglymostoma brevicaudatum.jpg Pseudoginglymostoma
brevicaudatum
Shorttail nurse shark unknown VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Carpet shark Rhtyp u0 white bg.gif Rhincodon typus Whale shark decreasing EN IUCN 3 1.svg Endangered II
Groundshark Schroederichthys
saurisqualus
Lizard catshark unknown VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Groundshark Scylliogaleus quecketti Flapnose houndshark unknown VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Groundshark Sphyrna lewini Gervais.jpg Sphyrna lewini Scalloped hammerhead decreasing CR IUCN 3 1.svg Critically endangered II (eff. Sept. 2014)
Groundshark Sphyrna mokarran at georgia.jpg Sphyrna mokarran Great hammerhead decreasing EN IUCN 3 1.svg Endangered II (eff. Sept. 2014)
Groundshark Sphyrna tiburo.jpg Sphyrna tiburo Bonnethead shark decreasing EN IUCN 3 1.svg Endangered
Groundshark Sphyrna tudes2.jpg Sphyrna tudes Smalleye hammerhead decreasing VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Groundshark Sphyrna zygaena noaa.jpg Sphyrna zygaena Smooth hammerhead decreasing VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable II (eff. Sept. 2014)
Dogfish Squalus acanthias stellwagen.jpg Squalus acanthias Piked dogfish decreasing VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Dogfish Squalus-montalbani-sideview.png Squalus montalbani Philippines spurdog decreasing VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Angel shark Squatina aculeata Sawback angelshark decreasing CR IUCN 3 1.svg Critically endangered
Angel shark Squatina albipunctata Eastern angel shark decreasing VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Angel shark Squatina argentina Argentine angel shark decreasing EN IUCN 3 1.svg Endangered
Angel shark Squatina formosa Taiwan angelshark unknown EN IUCN 3 1.svg Endangered
Angel shark Squatina guggenheim Hidden angelshark decreasing EN IUCN 3 1.svg Endangered
Angel shark Squatina japonica2.jpg Squatina japonica Japanese angelshark unknown VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Angel shark Squatina nebulosa Clouded angelshark unknown VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Angel shark Hal - Squatina oculata.jpg Squatina oculata Smoothback angel shark decreasing CR IUCN 3 1.svg Critically endangered
Angel shark Squatina punctata Angular angelshark decreasing EN IUCN 3 1.svg Endangered
Angel shark Squatina squatina tenerife.jpg Squatina squatina Angel shark decreasing CR IUCN 3 1.svg Critically endangered
Angel shark Squatina tergocellatoides Ocellated angelshark unknown VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Carpet shark Stegostoma fasciatum mozambique.jpg Stegostoma fasciatum Zebra shark decreasing VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable
Groundshark Triakis acutipinna Sharpfin houndshark decreasing EN IUCN 3 1.svg Endangered
Groundshark Triakis maculata Spotted houndshark decreasing VU IUCN 3 1.svg Vulnerable

See also


This page was last updated at 2022-10-01 00:59 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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